Barbra Streisand biography

From a very early age, Barbra Streisand was determined to become a star. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Streisand's first leap towards stardom came at the age of 18 when she won a singing contest at The Lion, a small Manhattan club. She began playing nightclubs and appeared off-Broadway. Streisand made her Broadway debut at 20 with a supporting role in I Can Get It for You Wholesale, for which she received a New York Drama Critics Award and a Tony nomination. She signed a contract with Columbia Records the same year, and her debut album was an instant success, winning two Grammys.

Her appearance as Franny Brice in the Broadway musical Funny Girl in 1964 led to another Tony nomination and a 10-year contract with CBS Television to produce and star in TV specials. She made her movie debut in 1968 in the film adaptation of Funny Girl and won not only a Golden Globe but an Oscar for her performance, tying with Katharine Hepburn for Best Actress.

After appearing in the title role of another musical, Hello Dolly! (1969), roles in non-musical films began coming her way, including The Owl and the Pussycat (1970); What's Up Doc? (1972) and The Way We Were (1973). She occasionally returned to musicals with Funny Lady (1975); A Star is Born (1976), winning an Oscar for Best Original Song; and Yentl (1983), which she also directed and produced. In the 1990s, Barbra appeared in just two movies before taking a break for several years. She didn't appear in a movie again until she accepted the role of Roz Focker in Meet the Fockers (2004). In 2012, she took on a starring role in the comedy The Guilt Trip playing Seth Rogen's single mother. This was her first lead role since 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces.

Over the years Streisand has won eight Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, three People's Choice Awards, two Oscars, 10 Grammy Awards and a Life Achievement Award in 2001 from the American Film Institute. She has a Star on the Walk of Fame at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard.

Streisand has been married twice. She has a son, Jason Gould (b. 1966), from her eight year marriage (1963 to 1971) to Elliott Gould. In 1998, she married James Brolin. They live in a Malibu mansion overlooking the sea.